Another crazy week in the NBA has the ranking seeing a major shake-up. How did Minnesota rank after an up and down week?
Well, folks, it’s that time again: NBA Power Rankings, the second-half-of-the-season edition. Things are heating up, streaks are breaking, injuries are piling up, and, oh yeah, the Wolves continue to take us on an emotional roller coaster that would make Six Flags jealous.
Let’s dive into this week’s rankings, where the top four finally saw some chaos, a few streaking teams made their presence felt, and Minnesota continues to cling to relevance like a movie franchise that should’ve ended two sequels ago.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (35-7)
Last Week’s Ranking: 2
The Thunder are officially atop the rankings, and honestly, it feels like it’s been a long time coming. After a dominant 20-point win over Cleveland, OKC has cemented itself as the most complete team in the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is casually making an MVP case, and the supporting cast looks like a perfectly engineered basketball symphony.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers (35-6)
Last Week’s Ranking: 1
Yes, Cleveland is technically still the best team by record, but you can’t ignore the recent stumble against OKC. They’ve dropped two of their last four, which, for them, is like the equivalent of the rest of us forgetting to pay our utility bill. They’re still elite, but for now, they’ve lost their crown.
3. Houston Rockets (28-13)
Last Week’s Ranking: 4
The Rockets have quietly gone on a tear, winning six of seven, including two impressive Ws over the Grizzlies. They’re young, they’re hungry, and they’ve officially dethroned Boston from the top three.
4. Boston Celtics (29-13)
Last Week’s Ranking: 3
It’s hard to take the Celtics’ recent struggles too seriously because, well, we’ve seen this movie before. They’re coasting, resting legs, and conserving energy. But losses to teams like Toronto sting, and their grip on the East’s second seed isn’t quite as ironclad as it was a few weeks ago.
5. Denver Nuggets (26-16)
Last Week’s Ranking: 5
Nikola Jokic continues to do Nikola Jokic things, and the Nuggets are quietly climbing the standings. They’ve won six of their last seven, and while their ceiling might not feel as high as it did a few years ago, they’re still a team you’d rather not see in May.
6. Memphis Grizzlies (27-15)
Last Week’s Ranking: 9
Memphis still has issues, but they’ve taken care of business lately, including a nail-biter against the Wolves. They’ve got fight, but I can’t shake the feeling that their lack of true superstars will haunt them when the playoffs roll around.
7. New York Knicks (27-16)
Last Week’s Ranking: 6
Injuries are piling up, and the Knicks’ recent 3-6 stretch has them slipping a bit. Thibs’ minutes management always seems to catch up with his teams eventually. Here’s hoping New York doesn’t burn out before spring.
8. Milwaukee Bucks (24-17)
Last Week’s Ranking: NR
The Bucks have quietly won seven of their last eight, and while the schedule hasn’t been brutal, a streak is a streak. When Giannis is locked in and healthy, Milwaukee can hang with anyone.
9. Indiana Pacers (24-19)
Last Week’s Ranking: 7
The Pacers stumbled against Cleveland, but their recent run has been impressive. They’ve won eight of their last nine, and Tyrese Haliburton is doing his best to ensure Indiana stays relevant in the playoff picture.
10. Los Angeles Clippers (24-17)
Last Week’s Ranking: 11
The Clippers have quietly put together a four-game win streak. With Kawhi Leonard regaining form, they’re starting to look like the team everyone feared—when they’re healthy, which is, you know, always the big question.
11. Sacramento Kings (22-20)
Last Week’s Ranking: 8
After a narrative-changing winning streak, the Kings finally hit a bump, losing to the Bucks. Still, this team is fun, dangerous, and very much in the playoff mix.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-20)
Last Week’s Ranking: 10
The Wolves are back to their usual antics—three great quarters, one disaster quarter, rinse and repeat. They were lifeless against the Warriors, fantastic against the Knicks, and then got demolished late by Cleveland. This inconsistency is maddening, but somehow, they remain in the mix.
Here’s the thing: this stretch is make-or-break. Games against Dallas and Denver loom large, and if the Wolves don’t figure out how to play a full 48 minutes, they’ll be out of the top 12 faster than you can say “Anthony Edwards step-back three.”
Dropping Out
Los Angeles Lakers (21-17)
Last Week’s Ranking: 12
Final Thoughts
This week’s rankings brought some much-needed chaos to the board. OKC finally overtakes Cleveland, streaking teams like Milwaukee and Sacramento are making their presence felt, and Minnesota…well, they’re still here.
But the second half of the season isn’t for the faint of heart. The Wolves are clinging to relevance, but with their talent and roster depth, there’s no excuse for them not to climb higher. Let’s see if they can stop playing with their food and put together a consistent run. Or maybe they’ll just keep being the Wolves. Either way, it’ll be entertaining.